Capacity Extension at Shannon Foynes Habitats Directive Assessment Volume 6 Natura Impact Statement Capacity Extension at Shannon Foynes NIS Table of Contents 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1.1 Natura 2000 Network .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 Appropriate Assessment ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1.3 Report Objective.................................................................................................................. 2 1.1.4 Report Structure .................................................................................................................. 2 1.1.5 Directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site ................................. 3 2 Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Appropriate Assessment process ........................................................................................... 4 2.1.1 Published guidance on Appropriate Assessment ............................................................... 4 2.1.2 Likely Significant Effect ....................................................................................................... 5 2.1.3 Conservation objectives ...................................................................................................... 6 2.1.4 Site-Specific Conservation Objectives ................................................................................ 6 3 The Proposed Development ......................................................................................................... 8 3.1 The Location of the Project ..................................................................................................... 8 3.1.1 Site Location ........................................................................................................................ 8 3.1.2 Development Area .............................................................................................................. 8 3.1.3 Adjacent Land Uses .......................................................................................................... 12 3.1.4 Existing Port Operations ................................................................................................... 12 3.1.5 Amenity Designations ....................................................................................................... 13 3.2 Characteristics of the Project ................................................................................................ 13 3.2.1 Nature of the Proposed Development ............................................................................... 13 3.2.2 Planning Permission and Environmental Assessment- Clarification ................................ 15 3.2.3 Physical Characteristics .................................................................................................... 15 3.2.4 Risk of Accidents ............................................................................................................... 36 3.2.5 Project Change and Decommissioning ............................................................................. 37 3.2.6 Other Related Projects and Potential for Ex-Situ Effects .................................................. 37 4 Screening for Appropriate Assessment .................................................................................... 38 4.1 European sites in proximity to the Port of Foynes ................................................................ 38 4.1.1 Establishing an Impact Pathway ....................................................................................... 38 4.1.2 Stack’s to Mullaghareirks, West Limerick Hills and Mount Eagle SPA ............................. 41 4.1.3 Askeaton Fen Complex SAC ............................................................................................ 41 4.1.4 Barrigone SAC .................................................................................................................. 42 4.1.5 Curraghchase Woods SAC ............................................................................................... 42 4.1.6 Lower River Shannon SAC ............................................................................................... 43 4.1.7 River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries SPA ............................................................. 45 4.1.8 Description of the River Shannon European site complex ............................................... 46 4.2 Possible Effects ..................................................................................................................... 51 4.2.1 Water Quality and Habitat Deterioration ........................................................................... 51 4.2.2 Underwater Noise and Disturbance .................................................................................. 52 4.2.3 Aerial Noise and Visual Disturbance ................................................................................. 53 4.2.4 Habitat Loss ...................................................................................................................... 54 4.3 Summary of screening assessment ...................................................................................... 55 4.4 Next Steps ............................................................................................................................. 56 5 Appropriate Assessment of the Implications of the Proposed Development ....................... 57 5.1 Possible Adverse Effects on the Integrity of the Site ............................................................ 57 5.1.1 Lower River Shannon SAC ............................................................................................... 57 5.1.2 River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries SPA ............................................................. 81 5.1.3 In-combination Effects ....................................................................................................... 96 5.2 Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................................ 100 5.2.1 Construction Phase ......................................................................................................... 100 5.2.2 Operational Phase .......................................................................................................... 105 6 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 110 NI1773.Rpt.Ec03.NIS i Capacity Extension at Shannon Foynes NIS LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1 Project Location ............................................................................................................... 9 Figure 3.2 Project Location (orthophotography) ............................................................................. 10 Figure 3.3 Project Location (vector mapping) ................................................................................ 11 Figure 3.4 Jetty Extension connecting West Quay and East Jetty................................................. 16 Figure 3.5 Planned layout of proposed jetty ................................................................................... 17 Figure 3.6 Proposed Location of Relocated Pontoon .................................................................... 19 Figure 3.7 Proposed Phasing Plan for Construction ...................................................................... 23 Figure 3.8 Typical Package Treatment Plant (source Kingspan Klargester BioDisc©) ................. 29 Figure 3.9 Typical Stratified Sand Polishing Filter (Source- EPA Guidance) ................................. 29 Figure 4.1 Proposed development within the European sites ........................................................ 39 Figure 4.2 European sites around the Proposed development ...................................................... 40 LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1: Phase 1 – Phase 3 Population Equivalent .................................................................... 28 Table 4.1: Screening Summary for European sites considered ..................................................... 55 Table 5.1: Summary of River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries SPA SCI species recorded during bird surveys (all sub-sites) ......................................................................................................... 82 Table 5.2: Other Projects considered for in-combination effects ................................................... 99 NI1773.Rpt.Ec03.NIS ii 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND 1.1.1 Natura 2000 Network With the introduction of the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora) came the obligation to establish the Natura 2000 network of Sites of Community Interest (SCIs), comprising a network of areas of highest biodiversity importance for rare and threatened habitats and species across the European Union (EU). In Ireland, the Natura 2000 network of European sites comprises